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<title>you learned to sprint before you could crawl by toothpasteumbrella</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27671843">you learned to sprint before you could crawl</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/toothpasteumbrella/pseuds/toothpasteumbrella'>toothpasteumbrella</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, purpled is like a former soldier, still dont know how 2 do tags, yeah its edgy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:41:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,489</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27671843</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/toothpasteumbrella/pseuds/toothpasteumbrella</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"If someone sent you into a battle you knew you would die in, would you still go?" </p>
<p>"Yes." Purpled's response is immediate.</p>
<p>Techno grimaces, physically faltering. Purpled notices his calloused fingers twitch. There’s a silence again.</p>
<p>"You don't have to.”</p>
<p>“Come again?”</p>
<p>“You don’t have to,” Techno repeats, voice fuller. “Not anymore.”</p>
<p>Purpled feels his hands clutch on the water bottle. His mind swirls, expression twisting with confusion. </p>
<p>The man turns away, red cape flowing after him. “Take it from me. You can fight for something now. Something other than because you have to." His voice grasps for words. “You can fight for more. For something you… believe in.”</p>
<p>(Purpled never met Technoblade in the rounds. In Hypixel. They stayed worlds apart, yet somehow they’re so similar in that way.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>nope none</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>322</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Poggers Purpled Fics</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. 1.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>today i give you More Angsty , Probably Out Of Character Purpled<br/>do i know literally anything abt the dream smp? no. do i vaguely write about it as if i did? yes !</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re a soldier, Purp.”</p><p>The boy stares at Dream.</p><p>“I’m-- what?”</p><p>“You’re strong. Skilled,” Dream waves his iron axe idly as he speaks. “Fast. Smart.”</p><p>Purpled stiffens. He feels his feet shuffle together-- (“Arms at your side, men. Back straight. Chest out.”)</p><p>He murmurs a “thank you”, gaze cast on the weapon Dream holds. </p><p>“It’s just you’re… what’s the word…” The hooded man’s grip on his axe only tightens as he thinks. “Impartial? Dispassionate?”</p><p>Purpled squints. It's enchanted-- those pinkish highlights gleaming off it's furnished blade. Sharpness two? </p><p>"No, what's a better word for it…"</p><p>The runes are hard to make out, though he can distinguish the distant formation of "Smite" --</p><p>"Purpled, Purpled--" Dream snaps his fingers in front of the boy's face. His other hand covers the axe Purpled was analyzing.</p><p>"Sorry, sorry, " Purpled is quick to apologize, recoiling in his oversized hoodie. "Force of habit." </p><p>Dream's expressions are always hard to read under the porcelain mask, but he lets out a disgruntled murmur. </p><p>"You fought…" The man tries to start again, though fails and shakes his head. "You're a soldier with no commander. A pawn with no player. A puppet with no puppeteer." </p><p>"Pardon?"</p><p>Dream sighs and places his axe back into its holster on his hip. "Ask yourself this, Purp. Are you going to find someone to fight for, or something?" </p><p>Dream’s words are confusing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 2.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <em> Someone to fight for. I can find someone to fight for.  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>It's early. The sun is barely scraping against the horizon, glaring yellow rays creeping from the soil. </p><p> </p><p>Techno's making him do laps. </p><p> </p><p>"Keep it up, kid! You've still got longer to run!" </p><p> </p><p>Purpled's ran before. He's <em> good </em> at it; he's full sprinted before without break. This, he's used to. </p><p> </p><p>(Bedwars maps can only be crossed on a full sprint. He's learned that. He knows that already.) </p><p> </p><p>Techno stays at a constant eleven blocks away; going at a mere trot atop his horse while Purpled runs. (The armour is golden, which confuses Purpled. Gold isn’t used for armor; it breaks easily compared to ores like iron. He's only seen it used for golden apples. Techno shrugged and said it looked nice.)</p><p> </p><p>He's run before. He's good at it. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><ul>

</ul><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>It's late. The sky is graying and darkening, sun tucked neatly behind a thick forest behind the two. </p><p> </p><p>Techno's still making him do laps. </p><p> </p><p>The crowned man stays stationary, now, encouragingly shouting at the boy as he passes with each lap. </p><p> </p><p>Purpled doesn't stop. He can’t. Can he even feel his own limbs? It makes his head spin to think about it. One step in front of the next. Keep going. Keep running. Sprinting. You can’t slow down, not now, not--</p><p> </p><p>“Purpled!” Techno nearly barks. “You’re done.”</p><p> </p><p>Purpled feels his body would halt all functioning if he stopped running, but he slows down with the dismissal. His raggedy sneakers press off of the track, and he collapses to his knees.</p><p> </p><p>He holds shaky hands to his chest as he pants. His lungs burn. Everything feels torn.</p><p>Purpled can barely hear Techno's boots as he walks over the pounding in his ears. The crowned man places a water bottle next to Purpled, to which the boy takes with weak arms. </p><p> </p><p>His voice is steady, though concern seeps into his tone. "Why didn't you stop before?" </p><p> </p><p>"I--" Purpled begins, cut off from chugging the water. "Euugh-- I-- You-- You didn't say to. To stop." </p><p> </p><p>"Did I have to?" </p><p> </p><p>"Wh-- what?" Purpled stares up at him with dazed eyes. “Of course. I mean-- you’re my trainer. You tell me when to... “ he swallows thicky, “when to stop.”</p><p> </p><p>Techno opens his mouth, then closes it to ponder. Silence blankets them.</p><p> </p><p>"If someone sent you into a battle you knew you would die in, would you still go?" </p><p> </p><p>"Yes." Purpled's response is immediate. </p><p> </p><p>Techno grimaces, physically faltering. Purpled notices his calloused fingers twitch. There’s a silence again.</p><p> </p><p>"You don't have to.”</p><p> </p><p>“Come again?”</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t have to,” Techno repeats, voice fuller. “Not anymore.”</p><p> </p><p>Purpled feels his hands clutch on the water bottle. His mind swirls, expression twisting with confusion. </p><p> </p><p>The man turns away, red cape flowing after him. “Take it from me. You can fight for something now. Something other than because you have to." His voice grasps for words. “You can fight for <em> more </em>. For something you… believe in.”</p><p> </p><p>(Purpled never met Technoblade in the rounds. In Hypixel. They stayed worlds apart, yet somehow they’re so similar in that way.)</p><p> </p><p>Techno’s words are confusing to Purpled. But then it makes a little more sense. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 3.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the tommyinnit chapter lol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>He was fine before. Change wasn’t a big deal.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thwack.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was used to change. He was good at adapting. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thwack.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Whenever the maps rotated, or his favorite kit got nerfed. He adapted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thwack.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He adapted. So why can’t he now?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(His fists are strained with how hard he’s clinging onto the axe.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The oak tree splits with a distinguished crack, and the boy hollers “timber!” to no one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> (He doesn’t notice his hands are shaking.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No, no, it’s not about adapting. Dream tells him to stop using words like that. He needs to… needs to…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Purpled, my man!” comes the indignant voice of one blonde british boy. Tommy swaggers over, peering over the tree Purpled chopped down. “Nice, nice.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(It's on the tip of his tongue. The question.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Tommy,” Purpled starts, thumb pressing into the handle of his axe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mmh?” Tommy hums, squatting to poke at a ladybug crawling alongside the bark.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How… how do you… how do you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Know what?” Tommy’s gaze is still held on the ladybug, watching it crawl slowly onto his finger.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Purpled swallows. “Know what’s right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tommy doesn’t respond. Purpled can’t see his face like this, so he continues. “Tommy. What-- what--” Purpled reaches a hand to grab his sweater. He’s getting overwhelmed. When he speaks next, his voice is strained and desperate.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What am I supposed to fight for? What's that something everyone's been telling me to find?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For once, Purpled gets a response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What you think is right." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tommy turns to him with an indescribable expression. He's smiling, but there's pain rolling behind his sea blue eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What you think is right?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tommy’s lighthearted voice bubbles up again, and his expression quickly tries to form a more genuine smile. “There’s no use being so good at fighting if there’s no fire behind it! </span>
  <em>
    <span>You’ve </span>
  </em>
  <span>gotta find what </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> think is right before you fight for it. Then I think you’ll understand it. How important that something is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He extends his hand out to Purpled, ladybug resting on his palm. For once, Purpled doesn’t try to distinguish if the ladybug is male or female or how many spots it has or what shade of red it technically is-- he lets the ladybug crawl into his hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, Tommy’s words aren’t as confusing to him.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 4.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the tubbo chapter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"You still haven't told me where we're going, Tubbo." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Just up the hill! I wanna show you somethin'!" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two are steadily trekking up a hill, arms full of freshly baked bread and crisp red apples. (This time, he doesn’t ask why they’re not golden.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Purpled’s eyes follow stray bees buzzing past them. The soft grass reached up to the boys’ ankles, swaying with a warm breeze. Various flowers are speckled amongst the grass-- (Daisies, azure bluets, poppies.) and Purpled watches a rabbit hop along before disappearing in the grass.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(He knows the names of these things, now. Knows flowers can be bled into dye, knows the environments for bees and rabbits and other little animals.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ve been walking for a while,” Purpled murmurs, careful not to let an apple fall from his arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it! You’ll see.” Another vague response from Tubbo, who’s grinning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s an idle sort of calmness. Not one that washes over you or creeps up; one that’s constant. Blissful, even. Purpled swears he can hear the soft chime of woodwinds below them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a little while until they halt. There’s a tiled picnic blanket waiting for them underneath a willow tree. Purpled’s hair flutters in front his eyes before he shifts it aside. They’re at the top of the hill.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Below, there’s a forest of spruce. The branches sway with the winds, leaves brushing against the dark wood. Higher than that, the horizon sinks into a wide ocean where the sun melts into the sea. Vibrant reds and oranges sprawl from the sun and paint the sky, wisps of clouds floating by the two. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then Dream’s and Techno’s and Tommy’s words aren’t confusing at all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then he realizes he’s found it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What he wants to fight for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>This. The blazing sky and the soft grass and the crisp red apples and his </span>
  <em>
    <span>friends--</span>
  </em>
  <span> Oh, his friends-- their homes and his home and all the dogs he has in his cabin by the lake and, and, and--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiles as he tears up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He's found it. What he wants to fight for. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>and thats a wrap !</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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